CS2 Pro S1mple Eyes Gambling Streams, Prompting Twitch Gambling Rules Discourse

Popular Counter-Strike professional player and streamer Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev alluded to a career change after his contract with the team Na’Vi ends, suggesting that he may become a gambling streamer. However, this also raised the question about the relationship between Twitch and casino-like video game mechanics such as opening cases or loot boxes.

S1mple’s Comments Once Again Stir Up Discussion about Gambling on Twitch

In a recent stream, the 27-year-old pro CS2 player said that he hasn’t tried out gambling streams before, but he might give it a shot once his contract with the esports team ends. However, he also explained that he might not be able to stream on Twitch, as the platform has had strict regulations around gambling for quite some time now. This raises some questions regarding the platform’s relationship with this type of content.

Twitch’s Community Guidelines do not outright ban content related to casinos, gambling, or slots. However, the platform prohibits users from sharing links or affiliate codes to sites offering slots, roulette, or dice games. This effectively cuts off a major source of income for many casino streamers, who typically rely on affiliate links to direct their audiences to gambling platforms in exchange for commission.

Interestingly, Twitch’s Community Guidelines also include a provision specifically addressing Counter-Strike. It targets the well-known practice of skin gambling, where players use in-game skins as betting currency in hopes of winning additional skins or, in some cases, real money. “Promotion or sponsorship of skins gambling, such as for CS2 skins, is prohibited under our policy,” the guidelines say.

Some Still Find Ways to “Gamble” on Twitch with CS2

Although Twitch has taken steps to address skin gambling, streamers are still permitted to open cases live on stream. Many see this as a loophole in Twitch’s approach to Counter-Strike-related gambling, enabling streamers to use case and item openings as their primary content while effectively promoting them as a form of gambling.

That being said, cases (or more commonly known as “loot boxes” in gaming as a whole) can sometimes be considered a form of gambling under some interpretations. Things get even shadier when some consider this to be a gateway for younger players to get into gambling, as video games are often more targeted towards younger people. Some jurisdictions, such as Norway, have implemented solutions to shield youngsters from the potentially harmful effects of loot boxes. Several of the country’s organizations have joined forces to protect young people from harmful gambling habits that can arise from alleged casino-style mechanics in video games, such as opening loot boxes.